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2011 Pace Ward MLR Sprint Series - a flying review of another incredible year!

11K views 35 replies 29 participants last post by  dapcRs 
#1 ·
Over the past 5 years the the MLR Sprint Series has become the largest competitive motorsport series for the Lancer Evo in the UK - if not the world - and although we suffered a slight hiccup half way through the year, the 2011 Pace Ward sponsored MLRSS finished in true style and with 105 competitors was the busiest Series ever! Here's a VERY rapid review of all 7 rounds highlighting the Class winners, a few actions shots and even a couple of videos. If you couldn't make it in 2011, be sure to do so in 2012 - you'll wish you'd done it a whole lot sooner!! :naughty:

ROUND 1 - SILVERSTONE:
The 2011 Pace Ward MLR Sprint Series kicked off in March at what's become the traditional opening venue in recent years - none other than the home of the British Grand Prix!

With a new start and finish point it was effectively a new circuit for the 54 cars taking part on the day with each driver getting 14 runs on the hallowed tarmac - we were even blessed with lovely Spring weather!

2010 Champion 'Neverneverman' in his Class D Evo 6 continued his winning ways ending the day in top spot with a time of 56.92s, just 0.31s ahead of Jamie@Evotune and 0.38s in front of Kenny1. It looked like the stage was set for another year of seriously close competition!

Class D (FTD): Neverneverman - 56:92
Class C: Baz25 - 58:86
Class B: John@Evobreakers - 59:03
Class A: Kentb - 1:02:19
Class G: Gaz@CPP - 59.22

Neverneverman


Baz25


John@evobreakers


kentb


GumEvo


ROUND 2 - CASTLE COMBE:
A month later the Series moved to Castle Combe and although we didn't see the same number of cars as we did at the opening round it was still a great day with a brilliant atmosphere, stunning weather and even better action - and it was great to see drivers travelling across the UK to take part, some from as far away as sunny Scotland!

Combe is definitely a power circuit and very fast and although the top of the pile looked like a rerun from Silverstone, there were close battles throughout the field with drivers swapping places in each of the 4 classes. After 15 runs the final result saw Neverneverman take his 2nd win in 2 rounds over Jamie@Evotune, and Kenny1 in 3rd a further 0.59s behind!

Class D (FTD): Neverneverman - 1:08:80
Class C: Baz25 - 1:11:77
Class B: John@Evobreakers - 1:14:35
Class A: Gum Evo - 1:18:97
Class G: MT-Evo - 1:12:55

Sit back and watch a lap with the drivers . . .

Start line:


Bessel:


3600magic:


BradGT:


simonsevo:


ROUND 3 - LYDDEN HILL:
The third round was originally going to be Teesside Autodrome and our first ever night sprint, but due to surprisingly low bookings I decided to postpone it until later in the year which meant it had just become the new Series Final!

This also meant the first of two new circuits for the 2011 season was next on the list when the Series moved to Lydden Hill, and as if that wasn't enough firsts, Lydden was also the first circuit in MLRSS history to use 1.5laps as the course! Thanks partly to the new 50/50 incentive we introduced after Teesside was postponed, we saw a big handful of new drivers make up the 41 cars who braved the elements throughout the day.

Baz25 finished the practice session in top spot being chased hard by Markmec, but thanks to mechanical failure (and push starts!) it wasn't to be his day, and a battle royal ensued between Blacky and OldSchool - with Blacky eventually ending up victorious in his Evo7 (another first!), exactly 1 second ahead of Oldschool's freshly built Evo2RS, with KenX being rewarded with his first Class win in 2011.

Here's a reminder of the action!

Class C (FTD): Blacky - 1:08:21
Class D: Oldschool - 1:09:21
Class B: John@Evobreakers - 1:10:42
Class A: KenX - 1:13.87
Class G: MT-Evo - 1:11:30

Briefing:


Bloodspeed:


Oldschool:


Baz25:


BradGT:


ROUND 4 - INGLISTON:
Five weeks and 500 miles later we all landed at the Scottish round of the MLRSS at Ingliston. With the sprint course being made up partly from the original circuit and the showground road system this round has a bit of everything - including some (friendly) Anglo-Scots rivalry, but in recent years has attracted a great turnout and 2011 was the best yet with 44 cars taking part - including 2 Tomcats!!

Cited as his favourite circuit of the whole Series, John@Evobreakers trailered his car all the way from Kent for this event and was rewarded with a battle for the lead with Jamie@Evotune and event favourite Madmac in his twincharger Evo 5 - all watched by a sizeable crowd who had a great view of the whole course from the startline.

Further down the field Foomeister was battling with Gritchie and Graemeevo4 for Class honours, but it was Madmac who took the win with a 55:53 to John@Evobreakers 56.97s, just 0.02s ahead of Class C winner Blacky!

Class D (FTD): Madmac - 55:53s
Class B: John@Evobreakers - 56:97
Class C: Blacky - 56:99
Class A: Foomeister - 1:02:03
Class G: Willox - 1:01:63

Startline:


madmac:


John@evobreakers


Blacky:


Foomeister


ROUND 5 - OULTON PARK:
Love it or hate it, Oulton Park's slippery smooth tarmac rally course is always the one which the brings the smiles from both the drivers and the spectators! Surprisingly we saw quite a low turnout for this round but the upside meant the drivers had the full whack of 16 runs and the spectators were rewarded with some of the closest nail-biting and sideways action of the year with the top spots changing on almost every run between Dicky, Baz25, Blacky, Richard Marples and Neverneverman. In true Sprint style though, Neverneverman left it to his last run to put in his quickest time and take FTD!

Class D (FTD): Neverneverman - 58.62s
Class C: Blacky - 1:00:06
Class B: Peeler - 1:01:84
Class A: PFC - 1:04:43
Class G: The Tyrant - 1:08:82

Peeler:


FQ360 Nick:


Dicky:


Michael Riddell:


ROUND 6 - SNETTERTON:

Our first ever visit to Snetterton but then the new 100 Circuit was only built in January! The new 1 mile track was a great addition to the Series and enjoyed by all of the 48 drivers who'd come from all over the UK again to take part all helping to create a great atmosphere in the paddock and the sunshine.

For the first time I was slightly worried that a Guest class car might take the win as P20SPD had brought his Time Attack winning Impreza, but thanks to Richard Marples (and almost Markmec!) that wasn't the case (no offence Steve!! :lol:)

Baz25 managed to keep it pointing the right way long enough to take the Class C trophy (you had to be there!:D), Peeler was rewarded with a Class win for his marathon drive across from the Isle of Man, and Gum Evo snatched the Class A title on his very last run.

Class D (FTD): Richard Marples - 42.46s
Class C: Baz25 - 43:36
Class B: Peeler - 45:70
Class A: GumEvo - 47:53
Class G: P20SPD - 42.76

Richard Marples:


Markmec:


Motointrest:


Corky:


whitti_uk:
 
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29
#2 ·
THE FINAL - TEESSIDE AUTODROME (NIGHT)

Personally I don't think we could have had a better end to the 2011 Series - a circuit that's regarded as one of the best in the MLRSS, a full field of 50 cars and although the practice session was run in daylight, the competition itself was at night under floodlights - it made for an amazing atmosphere and we were equally amazed at the number of spectators who came along and stayed until the end.

The darkness certainly added a new twist for the drivers too but the pace hotted up as they got to grips with it, and it looked like BradGT was going to take his first FTD and class win. Fuel surge and a flying Blacky meant it wasn't to be though and Blacky took the win by 0.11s from Kenny, and 0.14s from Brad!!

Class C (FTD): Blacky - 53:06
Class D: Kenny1 - 53:17
Class B: John@evobreakers - 56:29
Class A: T42 - 56:88
Class G: Michael Andrew - 57:94

Blacky:


Liddy:


PFC:


BradGT: 3rd Overall - Tesside Autodrome:


Kenny: Class D Winner and 2nd Overall - Teesside Autodrome


T42: Class A Winner - Teesside Autodrome:


Gum Evo - Overall Class A Winner:


John@evobreakers - Overall Class B Winner:


Pace Ward MLR Sprint Series - Overall Class Winners:

Class D: Neverneverman
Class C: Blacky
Class B: John@Evobreakers
Class A: Gum Evo

Spirit of the Pace Ward MLR Sprint Series Award Winner: Peeler

Pace Ward MLR Sprint Series - Overall Championship:

1st: Neverneverman - 820 points
2nd: Blacky - 800 points
3rd: Markmec - 755points
4th: BAZ25 - 710 points
5th: John2evobreakers - 670 points

Click <here> For a full list of the 2011 results.

Pace Ward MLR Sprint Series Championship Runner-up: Blacky


Pace Ward MLR Sprint Series Champion 2011: Neverneverman





AND FINALLY . . .

To end I'd like to say a HUGE thankyou to all the drivers who have taken part throughout the year, and all the following people behind the scenes who made this year's Pace Ward MLR Sprint Series such incredible line up of events - without them it simply wouldn't be possible;

DaveG, Mechell, Lee5, Debs & Ryan, BHP, Martin Allen, Monkeynuts, Raptor, Thacko, Ketch and Rich Sams, and our sponsors RossSport and Kleers and of course our title sponsor Pace Ward and Insbro for supporting every round and supplying the champagne!! :lol:

We hope to see all of you throughout the 2012 Series! :)
 
#3 ·
A great look back over what seems a short year:eek:was that the season end .....................boy did that go quick :cry:

Lets hope next year we move on upwards to try and top this season :smthumbup

A really big thanks to all concerned in pulling this series together .................nothing can match it :D.........................Steve:)
 
#9 · (Edited)
Good right up :smthumbup

Big thanks again to all of the MLR and pace ward.
 
#16 ·
We should no by now, no regs till the new year :D
 
#24 ·
Thanks all - I've got square eyes after scribbling that lot! :)



Hey, we're on the case already and hope to get them out before the 1st Jan . . . how does late December sound??? :mhihi:

As well as the regs, I'd like to see the calendar ASAP as I want to book a holiday in July and don't want to miss Ingliston again :smthumbup
I'd liked to see the calendar too Ian!! - can someone tell the circuits to pull their collective fingers out?! :crackup:
 
#25 ·
Great work Darin and all the crew for keeping the series going this year.
A brill end of year review.:thumbup:
I hope to be back next year with a better set up, depending what the regs bring.
 
#27 ·
Great write up! Only planned to do Oulton as a means to get on track without nailing the car untill fully ready for track... Got sucked in and did Snett and Teeside.

All being well I will do all the events within 4hrs of me. Hope to set car up to be alittle more competitive and look forward to all the banter and laughs the 2012 season will bring :)
 
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